Newcastle climb in EPL as Arsenal falter

By Julian Guyer

LONDON, Feb 1 AFP – Newcastle moved up into fifth place in the English Premier League with a 2-0 win away to Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday as Arsenal lost ground in their bid for a top-four finish.

With victory at Ewood Park, the Magpies leapfrogged Liverpool and Arsenal, held to a goalless draw away to strugglers Bolton Wanderers.

Newcastle took a 12th-minute lead when Blackburn’s Scott Dann deflected a 25-metre shot from Ryan Taylor past stranded Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Blackburn, who remain in the bottom three, had a gilt-edged chance to equalise before the break but David Dunn’s penalty was saved by Tim Krul and the Newcastle keeper blocked Gael Givet’s follow-up.

Rovers’ failure to convert several second-half chances was compounded when Gabriel Obertan made it 2-0 to Newcastle in the closing seconds.

At the Reebok Stadium, visitors Arsenal dominated possession but, with star striker Robin van Persie off target, dropped down into seventh place.

Sunderland’s revival under Martin O’Neill continued as they beat promoted Norwich 3-0 with a convincing victory at the Stadium of Light that took the north-east side into eighth spot.

Frazier Campbell smashed home a 21st-minute opener and, seven minutes later, he provided the cross for Stephane Sessegnon to head in the home side’s second.

Sunderland’s sixth win in nine league matches under O’Neill was completed when Norwich defender Daniel Ayala deflected in a Phil Bardsley cross in the 54th minute.

Elsewhere, Djibril Cisse marked his return to English football by scoring on his Queens Park Rangers debut in a 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa.

The 30-year-old French striker, thrust into the side a day after completing a transfer deadline-day move from Italian side Lazio on Tuesday, took just 12 minutes to open his Rangers account.

Cisse, who had previous spells in England with Liverpool and Sunderland, struck a fierce shot past Shay Given before celebrating with a somersault.

Rangers went 2-0 up when Villa defender Stephen Warnock headed a cross from Taye Taiwo into his own net in the 29th minute when under no pressure.

But Villa pulled one back on halftime when striker Darren Bent turned in an Alan Hutton cross for his 100th Premier League goal.

And the resurgent hosts equalised 11 minutes from time when Charles N’Zogbia volleyed in a Stiliyan Petrov cross.

However, despite the draw, QPR inched further away from the relegation zone, with Rangers three points above the bottom three.

In London, West Brom manager Roy Hodgson’s side come from behind to draw 1-1 with one of his former clubs Fulham.

Hodgson saw his current side fall behind to a 69th-minute goal from Fulham’s US striker Clint Dempsey.

But West Brom equalised eight minutes from time through substitute Somen Tchoyi.

Publisher: AAPNewswire

02 Feb 10:28 AM